Fight or Flight
by SepticLovebite
Summary: They danced around each other, playing hot and cold because neither of them had the guts to say how they really felt. SWIFT RETREATS ARC.


Once again, thank you for you reads and reviews. I'm really surprised to get any!

TWDTWDTWD

Carol woke feeling cold and alone. Feeling cold was not unusual, it was the middle of winter and the lodge that the group were living in no longer had traditional central heating. The only truly warm room was the communal living area, where a fire roared twenty four hours a day. Everyone wore several layers at all times, even Daryl, who during the autumn rarely changed from his sleeveless shirts. Being alone in the bed was slightly less common. In the warmer weather, Daryl could usually be counted on to be awake and hunting by sunrise, finding his best prizes before the sun reached it's hottest. In the last few weeks though, he'd occassionally lay in bed with Carol until she rose. There was very little to wake up for, with the mornings remaining dark and gloomy.

As she got up and dressed, she noticed his overcoat wasn't hanging in it's usual spot and she wondered if he had gone outside to shovel the paths. It was her turn today, paired with Rick, but Daryl often took her turn, he claimed because he was bored and it was something to do, but she suspected it was because he took pity on her and got fed up of watching her slip and slide across the front yard.

Lori, Carl, Glenn and Maggie sat at the kitchen table, peacefully eating bowls of steaming porridge.

"Mornin' Carol. There's plenty of breakfast, it's still hot." She waved her spoon at the cooker, where the leftovers sat. "Sleep alright?"

"Sure did. Seen Daryl about this morning?" She asked, spooning herself a bowl of porridge and settling down at the table, reaching for the jar of honey in the centre.

"No. Been down here since six." Lori answered. "Morning sickness. Can't shift it." She explained, although that didn't stop her wolfing down her breakfast.

Carol frowned, but carried on eating her meal. Daryl knew better than anyone, never to go anywhere outside the lodge without telling others. She knew instinctively he wasn't inside. He hovered round her constantly, if he didn't have a job to do. He sat on the countertops when she was preparing meals, sat on the floor playing chess with one of the others if she read in the living area or sat in front of her getting in the way whilst she washed the clothes. She was always tripping over him.

"He's not taken someone's watch or anything?"

"No, Beth relieved Rick at 7. He's asleep. You sure he's not inside? You checked T-Dog's room?" Maggie answered. Carol shook her head. She didn't even consider it. T-Dog and Daryl originally shared a room, but he hadn't slept in there for weeks. Last week she'd even noticed that most of his belongings were with hers too, shirts sharing her drawers, coat hanging alongside hers, his toothbrush sat in the cup with hers in the ensuite. He claimed it was because T-Dog snored but Carol didn't call him out on the fact that there were half a dozen other rooms he could sleep in. She enjoyed his company more and more everyday. As if he heard his name, T-Dog came into the room, as she stood up to find him.

"You seen Daryl?" She asked.

"Nope, why, what's going on?" He asked, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

Without answering him, she turned to the reception, her snow boots lined up neatly with the others, she pulled them on and drew her purple hat from her cardigan pocket. She took a puffy coat from the hook and opened the front door before zipping it up. The paths hadn't been cleared yet, another inch or two snow had fallen overnight and it was still falling, albeit softly.

"Daryl!" She called from the bottom of the porch. "You out here?" She heard nothing and paced the porch. She stopped when she spotted footsteps in the snow, heading towards the forest. Just one set and she knew they were his. They were already beginning to disappear into their surroundings with the falling snow. She rushed back in.

"He's gone into the forest!" She marched over to the store room, where all their weapons were kept and picked out a hatchet and a knife. The others came rushing out as she set out the door.

"Woah, woah!" Glenn grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Hang on, Daryl is a big boy, he's fine." He made to take the hatchet from her, but she snatched it back.

"I'm going to look anyway. You don't have to come with me. I just need to be sure." Carol tried to steady her voice, she didn't not want to sound as fraught as she was feeling, because she knew they'd think she was hysterical. But something wasn't right. He wouldn't leave without saying something, unless he thought he'd be back before anyone waking up, perhaps? That meant something was wrong. Maybe he'd hurt himself, or Walkers. Carol tried to get rid of that thought.

"Wait, let's get Rick and Hershel and we'll get a team together. No going out on your own Carol." Lori stepped forward to close the door. "Carl, go get your daddy and Hershel, tell them to get down here now." The boy nodded and raced up the stairs. "Maggie, you go up to Beth, ask her if she'd seen anything, have a look if you can see the tracks from there, see if there's anything to look at. Switch the radios on." Maggie nodded and followed Carl, heading for the fourth floor.

Less than ten minutes later, Carol out the door with Rick and Glenn, following the tracks left by Daryl. They'd tried to convince her to stay behind but she was having none of it. A few hundred yards in the forest, they stopped when they spotted a figure lying in the snow. She rushed ahead, fearing the worst, but slowed to a halt when she realised the body was female and definitely not human.

"Walker." She breathed. "Walker!" She raised her hatchet, but stopped when she spotted the hole in it's head. Arrow-sized. The men caught up with her. "He's been here." She told them, pointing at the Walker's head. It was missing it's feet as well as several fingers. The snow all around it was disturbed, implying that it had dragged itself to this spot instead of walked.

"Frostbite." Rick told them, squatting closer for a further look. "This is a good sign. No wonder we ain't seen any Walkers in so long."

Carol turned away, looking for Daryl's footprints but she couldn't find them anymore. She spun around, double checking and heard a rustling from the bushes. Rick and Glenn straightened up and aimed their guns at the sound.

"What the hell is goin' on?" Darl came stomping through the bushes, crossbow on his back, knife in hand, dragging what looked like a boar behind him. "Carol, what the hell you doin' out here?"

Carol sighed in relief, lowering her weapon. "What happened to you? You just took off! Without saying anything!" She didn't mean to shout at him, it just slipped out. Her initial relief that he was okay was quickly brewing into anger that he'd gone out alone for a boar.

"What the hell is the problem? I spotted a boar out by the cars awhile ago, I went to get it. Do you know how lucky we are to spot this beast in this weather?" He ploughed through the drift, struggling with the hog behind him.

Glenn chuckled, taking the rope from him. "Told you he was fine." Carol shot him a look and he straightened his face, beginning to take the boar towards the lodge. Rick's eyes flickered from Carol's face to Daryl's and back again. As a married man, he could sense when an argument was brewing and he jogged after Glenn to help him.

"You should've told me where you were going Daryl." Her voice was lower now, calmer.

"I was fine! You were sleeping, I thought I'd be back before you even woke up." He closed the gap between them, an arm reaching out for her. "You know that."

She snatched herself away. "No! I _didn't_ know that. All I knew is that I woke up and you weren't there. I asked everyone and no-one had seen you. I thought something bad had happened!"

"What the hell? Like what exactly? I think if a Walker and strolled into our room and snatched me away you woulda noticed! They ain't exactly much of a threat right now, in case ya missed the memo." He kicked at the snow around the Walker, to demonstrate his point.

"Oh, don't take that tone with me, as if I was being a stupid idiot." Carol spat out. She couldn't believe she said it, and instantly slapped a hand over her mouth. She had never spoken back to him like that before. Then she realised she had never had to. She turned on her heel and stomped her way through the snow back towards the lodge.

"Well ya are! I can take care of myself, I don't need babyin'!" Daryl started after her, instantly realising the "babying" was the worst phrase he could have used.

""Babying"? So, I "baby" you now? Excuse me for actually caring about whether or not you die!" She screeched, not caring how loud she was. She bolted up the stairs of the lodge's entrance and slammed the door in his face, before running up the stairs, snow trailing behind her.

He opened the door, steam virtually coming from his ears. "Yeah, well what else would you do with yourself if I was dead!" He growled up the stairs. He heard her bedroom door slam and something thudded against her door.

"Fuckin' women." He grumbled as he slid his boots off, ignoring an aghast Carl standing in the door.

"I think you better say sorry to her." The boy told him solemnly. His head turned to the ceiling, where they could hear drawers slamming shut repeatedly.

"No chance. She's gone batshit crazy!" He shouted out the last part and he was sure she heard him.

TWDTWDTWD

They both avoided each other for the rest of the day. Carol came down at lunch, eyes rimmed with red and she remained mostly silent, despite Lori's gentle prodding. Daryl demanded to takeover guard duty for the rest of the day. His initial anger wearing off and leaving him with a foul mood that the group hadn't seen for weeks. Carol had been a good influence on him and his sudden change in demeanour left everyone feeling morose. Rick hadn't argued with him and told him someone would be up to bring him his meals.

By 11 pm he could feel himself wilting, having been awake since 4 am and when Hershel came up bearing tea, he didn't argue too much when the older man told him in no uncertain terms that he was taking over.

"Now, I don't know exactly what's going on, but I think you need to go down there and apologise for today." Hershel told him, taking the binoculars.

"How come everyone seems to think I did somethin' wrong? _She's_ the one that started shoutin'!"

"Now, now, that's not I meant, son. Heck, shouting's nothing. Good for any relationship I reckon." Daryl snorted at his use of the word "relationship" because, quite frankly, he didn't know if that's what it was. They danced around each other, playing hot and cold because neither of them had the guts to say how they really felt. If he was honest with himself, he knew they were both fucked up in the relationship department. He'd never even been part of a real couple and she'd been married to an asshole who talked with his fists. "Now, I think maybe, she's just concerned about you. She cares about you very much and you leaving this morning gave her a fright." Hershel gave him a small wink, before turning towards the balcony.

Daryl sighed. Hershel was right. He knew it really. Now he was gonna suck it up and say sorry.

TWDTWDTWD

He didn't bother knocking the door before he opened it. She was tucked into her side of the bed, the quilts wrapped tight around her. He could her sniffing from the door. He hated hearing her cry. It sent him straight back to those days when Sophia was missing and the only thing he could think to do was to keep looking for her.

"I'm fine Lori." She croaked, hearing the door close softly. "Honestly."

"'S me." He approached the bed hesitantly, fearful she would tell him to get lost before he could say what he needed to say.

She sat up sharply, trying to rub her tears away discreetly.

"I'm sorry." He sat down on the edge of the bed and was silently grateful when she didn't say anything. "I ain't...I ain't used to answerin' to no-one." Carol opened her mouth but he cut her off. "I don't mean like that. I mean, I ain't used to havin' someone...care about me. I forget sometimes." His voice was soft, Carol hadn't heard him like this before. He'd never been this open before.

"I didn't mean to yell at you like that. I was scared. I can't lose you Daryl. And not because I need someone to look after or because we need your hunting skills. Just because you are you. I just don't want to lose you." She pulled her hand from the quilt and reached out to him, he took it and shuffled closer.

"I know that. What I said, I jus', I didn't know what to say." He stroked her hand with his thumb, hoping she understood what she meant.

"I don't mean to be a nag. I just..."

"You're not. I can't always promise that I won't go out there Carol, 'cause I'm sure I'm gunna. But I promise I won't keep you in the dark. You mean everythin' to me." He choked the last words out, feeling like a prize fool right about now. His mind crossed to Merle, who'd be calling him a sissy if he heard him talking to a woman about his feelings. But then, he remembered, Merle was the one who ended up handcuffed on a roof because he couldn't play nice. Daryl was the lucky bastard who'd survived this far with this amazing woman beside him.

She looked at him, wide-eyed and without warning, threw herself over him, pressing her lips to his. The force of her kiss sent him backwards onto the pillows, taking her with him. He kissed her back, surprised, because he had always been the one to kiss her. He wrapped his arms around her and she tightened her legs around his hips.

After several moments, she broke away from him, still straddling him, breathing heavily.

"I know, that after Sophia...after Sophia was found, you wanted to take off. Thank you for staying." Carol, bent over, running her hand through his hair.

"It was fight or flight. I ain't flyin'. I swear, I'll always fight for this." Carol smiled widely, bending down to kiss him again.

Carol awoke the next morning feeling warm and comforted. Daryl had his head buried in her neck, his arm wrapped tight around her waist and his legs tangled up with hers. With Ed, Carol had always tried to avoid fights, whatever the cost. But maybe with the right man, the odd fight would be worth it. Fighting for _this_, this utter bliss, it was definitely worth it.


End file.
